Loving Israel

So, as some of you know, I'm in Israel right now. I was lucky enough to get picked for an amazing training mission, being run by the WZO* and Israel's Foreign Ministry. They're training Rabbis to be better advocates for Israel.

* the WZO is the World Zionist Organization, the group which was founded by Theodore Hertzl, the founder of Zionism. It's basically the official body of Zionism.

I've been learning and seeing SO much, and I want to try to pass some of it on here, but we've got almost no down time, and we're all fried from long sessions, so it's hard to form a coherent thought. There's so much to say.

So, for now, let me say just one thing. It's not new, but this trip has re-confirmed it for me. Zionists like myself, especially those of us who teach, try to explain why we should be Zionist. Why we need to support Israel. In the end, I think we fail, because I CAN'T explain my Zionism to you, any more than I can really explain to you why I love my wife. I can list lots of reasons (for either) but they'll miss the point. They aren't the real reasons; they're just after the fact explanations.

Why I really love Israel...is because I love Israel. I love the look of the hills, and the buildings. I love cabbies who are both rude and friendly at the same time, and I love sitting outside while I wait too long for my dinner. I love the Supreme Court (more on this later; I really love it), and I love the cheesy city center. You can never really explain love, can you? You just do it.

Maybe, if I write and speak well, I can help you feel some of this. But, ultimately, it's personal. Everyone has to have their own love affair with Israel, if you're going to have one at all. Trust me - it's worth it!